Christmas-tree holder.



10.729,462. l PATENTE-D MAY 26,1903'.

' A.,WBGENER. l

CHRISTMAS'TRBE' Ho-LDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.19,`1902.'

No MODEL.A

xxxx nu l 1 mmm 514' @what No. 'rea-ice.

Patented May 26,l 1903.

OFFICE.

ARNOLD WEGENER, IC)F NEW YORK, N. Y.

CHRISTMAS,-

sPncIFIcA'rIoN forming pari. of Letters fas-'E HOLDER.

rjatent No. 729,462, dated May so, 1903.

Application 'filed September .119)

' serial No. 124,073. oro modem To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

e; Be it known that I, ARNOLD WEGENJJR,af 1.V

vcitizen of the United States, residin'ginNew York, borough of Manhattan, in the State of-Y New York, have invented certainnew and; useful Improvements in Christmas-Tree Holders, of which the following is a specificationf" The object of this invention is to provide Christmas-tree holder by which the tre'eican' be adjusted to and held in upright position 1,

and rotated about its vertical axis at a suitable speed.

The object is further to provide in a Christmas-tree holder means' whereby the speed of rotation of the tree may beregulated as desired, also mea-lis whereby therotation of the tree may be entirelyidis'continued .by a simpleand convenient.opratiomyand, furthermore, to afford 'meansprotecting the rotating mechanism from injury,"dirt,`d`ust, twigs falling from'the tree, orother obstruction tothe A mechanism, andffurther, -means to protect' the door from any oil flowing from th'erotating mechanism.

For these purposesthe invention consists -v of a Christmas-tree holderV comprisinga base of suitableform, a cup-shaped housing on said base and provided with a closed bottom, a spring-actuated rotating mechanism mounted within `said'housing and having a vertical main shaft,fais`ocket`adapted at its lower end to engage said main shaft and besupported thereonand having an upwardly-projecting interior centering-pin; and `laterally-adjustable centering-screwsabove said pin, a stopbra'ke adapted to engage the main. shaft for4 arresting thesame, 4adrag-b'rake adapted to engage the'main'v shaft, means for applying said drag-brake adj ustablyto said main shaft, and a removable cover closingthe top of said housing and provided with openings for the mainfshaft, brakes, and winding-shaft of the rotating mechanism.` .y

Thei-nvention consists, further, in certain details.of-construction and combinations of parts',.lwliich Will befully-described hereinafterahd n'ally'pointed out in the claims.

'In theaccompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of my improved Christmas-tree' holder, together with a Christmas tree supported by the same. Fig. 2 is a side View of the device drawn on a larger scale-and showing a portion 0E the tree-stem inserted into the socket. Fig. 3 is atop view fof thel parts shown in FigA 2. Fig. 4 is avertical section, on a larger scale, on line 4 4, ;Figi"`5.` Fig. 5 is a top view on the same scale asy Fig. 4, showing the rotating mechanism jandbgjakes, together with the housing and a ..portio'n of the base of the tree-holder; and `Fig 6 is a detail perspective View showing the form of the stop-brake.

' 'Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. Y

Referring tothe drawings, A indicates the base of my improved Christmas-tree holder, which may be of any'suitable form, but which is preferably made'in the form shown, having fourdiverginglegmembersa. Upon'thebase is mounted a cup-shaped housing B, which housing may be made integral With the base,as indicated, andis provided with a closed bottom l). Within the housing is mounted the treerotatingmechanism. This mechanism may be constructed in the form shown, comprising a spring C, mounted upon a windingshaft D and geared through an intermediate shaft D, with a vertical main shaft D2. These shafts D D D2 are supported Aat their lower ends in suitablekbearings in the bottom of the housing, but do not extend through the bottomk of 'said housing,and at their upper portions-are supported by a plate D3, connected by suitable postsfd with the'housing. Upon the mainhshaft D2 is supported a socket E, openA at'its uppery .endfor receiving theA ing-screws'eF-I` are arranged Vin the upper portion of the'socket, so as to screwhorizpntally toward or from the axis of the Asc` "cket,'and thereby permit the adjustment of the treetrunk fromthe outside of the sock-et into the exact vertical position, the centering -pin serving to hold the extreme lower end of the loo n tree-trunk in one position, and thereby enabling the proper adjustment of the tree into perfectly vertical position to be made by the centering-screws e.

Upon the pillar-plate D3' of the rotating mechanism is arranged a stop-brake F, which comprises an elongated body portion f, having a shank f sliding in a suitable groovef2 in the pillar-plate D3. The slotf2 is directed so as to guide the forward end ot' the brakef against the main shaft D2, and the brake is caused to engage at its forward tapering end f2 with said shaft by means of a stationary brake-pin f3, located on the pillar-plate adjacent the main shaft. A cross-piece f4 below the shankf prevents escape of the shank from the slot f2. The brake F is provided with an operating finger or handlef5.

For regulating the speed of rotation of the tree a drag-brake is provided which comprises a bar G, of stiff spring metal or other suitable elastic material, secured at its rear end by means of a post g to the pillar-plate and extending at its forward end opposite the main shaft D2. A post g is mounted on the pillar-plate at some point opposite the brake-bar G, and a thumb-screw g2 is mounted horizontally in said post g', so as lto bear at its inner end against the brake-bar G, and thereby force the same into contact with the main shaft D2, so as to produce any desired amount of friction, and thereby retard the rotation of the tree to any desired extent. For providing friction so that the thumbscrew g2 is always retained in the position into which it is set and does not too easily rotate in the post g the post is split vertically transversely to the screw g2, this being done in the process of manufacture, and the thread then put through the post, when the two parts of the same are pressed closely together so as to close up the slitmade by the tool used in splitting the post. The screw is then putin while the two parts are still pressed together. The parts are then released and tend to spring apart, thereby forming a fric- .tion device, creating sufficient friction 'upon the screw to prevent the same becoming loose in the thread of the post. A cover H is provided which is adapted to fit over the rotating mechanism and brakes, so as to exclude dirt, dust, and twigs which may fall from the tree. The cover is provided at its lower edge with a flange h, adapted to fit within the housing B, and thereby secure the cover firmly in place, while at the same time permitting its removal whenever desired. At its upper portion the cover is provided with an opening h' for the winding-shaft D and with a slot h2 for the handle f5 of the stop-brake. The cover is also provided with an opening h3 for the main shaft D2 and at one side with a vertical recess h4 for the thumb-screw g2 of the drag-brake.

The operation of my improved Christmastree holder will be apparent from the foregoing description. The tree having been inserted in the socketE and adjusted into vertical position or so as to be balanced therein and the spring C wound by means of a key applied to the winding-shaft D,the stop-brake, which during the winding was in forward position engaged with the main shaft, is now pushed into rearmost position out of engagement with said shaft, and the spring exerts its power through the gears, and thereby turns the main shaft and with it the socket and. tree supported in the same. In the case of large trees the friction between the main shaft D2 and the bottom b of the housing will be suicient so that the drag-brake need not ordinarily be applied. smaller trees, however, it is desirable to apply the drag-brake, and this is done by simply screwing up the thumb-screw g2 to the desired extent, whereby the brake-bar G is forced more or less tightly against the main shaft and the speed of the tree thereby regnlated.

When it is desired to stop the tree entirely, the stop-brake is simply pushed forward, so as to engage the main shaft. The direction of rotation of the main shaft is such as to draw the tapering stopbrake more firmly into engagement with the same as soon as the contact is made, and the tree is thereby quickly brought to a stop. The shafts of the rotating mechanism ,including the main shaft, are seated in suitable sockets in the bottom b of the housing. Said sockets do not extend through the housing, however, so that all oil which is used for lubricating the rotating mechanism and which by reason of the ver ticalposition of the shafts has a tendency to collect at the bottom of the same is retained within the housing and cannot escape upon the carpet or oor beneath the base. Owing to the cup-shaped form of housing, a. considerable quantity of oil may be employed, so that the lower ends ofthe sockets are thoroughly lubricated at all times and the device thereby enabled to operate with the greatest eiciency. Whenever it is desired to clean or adjust the parts, the tree-socket E is first removed and then the cover H bodily lifted olf, whereby all the parts are opened up to inspection or cleaning.

In place of or in addition to the drag-brake may be employed an exhibit-brake, consisting of a flexible brake-finger t', secured to and extending laterally from the main shaft D2 within the housing B, and a screw 11', mounted in the wall of the casing and adjustable so as to project more or less into the path of the brake-finger t'. When the main shaft is turned, the finger 'L' engages the screw, and thereby retards the shaft until, owing to the further turning of the shaft and yielding of the spring-finger t', the latter is moved out of engagement with the brake-screw i and the shaft again permitted to turn free. By this brake the tree is caused to rotate slower at a certain part of each revolution, so as to exhibit for a longer time toward one direction In the case of v IOO IIO

acertain part of the tree. This intermittent retardance may be regulated by adjusting the screw i so as to be hardly perceptible or so as to permit a considerably longer view of one portion of the tree.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A Christmas-tree holder, consisting of a base, a spring-actuated tree-rotating mechanism mounted on the same, an intermittentlyacting exhibit-brake for said mechanism, and means for adjusting said brake, substantially as set forth.

2. A Christmas-tree holder, consisting of a base, a spring-actuated tree-rotating mechanism mounted on the same, a drag-brake for said mechanism, an intermittently-acting eX- hibit-brake for said mechanism, and means for adjusting said brake, substantially as set forth.

3.' A Christmas-tree holder, consisting of a base, aspring-actuated tree-rotating mechanism mounted on the same, a drag-brake for said mechanism, a stop-brake for said mechanism, an intermittently-acting exhibit-brake for said mechanism, and means for adjusting said brake, substantially as set forth.

4. In a Christmas-tree, holder, the combination, with a shaft ofthe tree-rotating mechanism, of astop-brake having a tapering end for engaging said shaft, and a brake pin adjacent the shaft, the forward tapering end of said brake being arranged soas to enter between said shaft and pin, substantially as set forth.

5. In a Christmas-tree holder, the combination, with a shaft of the tree-rotating mechanism, of an exhibit-brake composed of aiiexible brake-finger secured to said shaft, and a brake-screw mounted adjacent and adapted to be screwed into the path of said brake-finger, substantially as set forth.

6. In a Christmas-treeh holder, a base, a housing mounted on the same, a tree-rotating mechanism mounted within said housing and having vertical shafts, a horizontally-movable brake adapted to engage one of said shafts and having an upwardly-projecting nger, and a removable cover adapted to fit upon said housing and provided with openings for shafts of the rotating mechanism and with a slot for said brake-finger, substantially as set forth.

7. A Christmas-tree holder, consisting of a base, a cup-shaped housing on said base and provided with a closed bottom, a spring-actuated tree rotating mechanism mounted within said housing and having a vertical main shaft, a socket adapted at its lower end to engage said main shaft and be supported thereon, and having an upwardly-projecting interior centering-pin and laterally-adjustable centering-screws above said pin, a stopbrake adapted to engage the main shaft for arresting the same, a drag-brake adapted to engage the main shaft, means for adjusting said drag-brake, and a removable cover closing the top of said housing and provided with open-V ings for said brakes and the winding-shaft of the rotating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses. v

ARNOLD WEGENER.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, JOSEPH H. NILES. 

